College Football Predictions: Nick Saban and 6 Coaches Who Will Surprise Us All
College football season is only a few months away, and anticipation is already mounting. In a short period of time, fans across the nation will watch their teams compete for a national title and the trash talk will surely fly in some cases.
Yet, while I do enjoy watching college football on occasion, I am more into the preseason speculation of which every fan is guilty. This happens in every sport. Fans get so excited about their team's offseason and automatically assume that their team will go all the way.
This time around, I'd like to focus on one aspect of preseason speculation: the coaches. After all, nothing makes a good college football team like a top coach. Year after year, fans anticipate what type of recruiting class people like Alabama's Nick Saban (pictured at left) or LSU's Les Miles will bring in for the coming season.
That being said, here are six college football coaches who will surprise everyone this year with their success.
No. 6: Brian Kelly, Notre Dame
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In his first season with the Irish, Brian Kelly made a legendary program that had become a joke under Charlie Weis show signs of life. In 2010, Notre Dame went 8-5 under Kelly and won the Hyundai Sun Bowl against the University of Miami, 33-17.
Next season, Kelly should definitely improve upon his first season. Notre Dame has some key players returning, most notably quarterback Dayne Crist, who missed the latter part of last season with a knee injury.
In the event that Crist isn't fully recovered, sophomore Tommy Rees is more than capable of running the offense. If receiver Michael Floyd is re-instated to the team, the offense will truly be dangerous and Notre Dame will once again be a top contender.
No. 5: Nick Saban, Alabama
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Simply put, 2011 could potentially be a tough year for Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide. Star running back Mark Ingram will be showcasing his talents on the New Orleans Saints this year, while receiver Julio Jones and quarterback Greg McElroy also left for the NFL. Despite those departures, it would be foolish to count Alabama out.
People seem to forget that losing key players isn't an issue for Saban. He is one of the top recruiters in college football. This year, his recruiting class is no exception.
The incoming Demetrius Hart was brought in to play running back and will greatly fill the void left by Ingram. Jones's spot at receiver could be filled by incoming freshman Marvin Shinn.
Long story short, Saban knows how to bring in top players and mold them into a winning squad. Look for Alabama to still be competitive in the SEC this year thanks to this man's recruiting.
No. 4: Will Muschamp, Florida
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Will Muschamp has some big shoes to fill. It's his first year as a head coach, and he has the pleasure of taking Urban Meyer's place as the leader of the Florida Gators. This should be interesting, as Meyer is an offensive coach and Muschamp was the defensive coordinator at Texas before taking this job.
Overall, I'm pretty sure that Muschamp will be fine. Florida is a top program and most importantly, he had a great recruiting class come in. The offense will be headlined by incoming freshman quarterback Jeff Driskel, who was ranked the No. 1 quarterback by ESPN and could fill the void left by Gators legend Tim Tebow.
The SEC is probably the toughest conference in college football and Florida probably won't win it all, but look for Muschamp to coach his squad well and at least make a run for the conference title.
.jpg?w=256 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
No. 3: Jimbo Fisher, Florida State
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Much like Brian Kelly did with Notre Dame, Jimbo Fisher took a Florida State team that had underachieved for the past few seasons and turned it around completely. In Fisher's debut season, the Seminoles went 10-4 and won the Chick-Fil-A Bowl against South Carolina, 26-17.
Yet, the team lost quarterback Christian Ponder to the NFL and in losing him also lost their team leader. E.J. Manuel should do a fine job filling in for him, but one can't help but think that the offense will be lacking something in the coming season. However, it appears that Fisher has planned for Ponder's departure. Rather than worry about the offense, he made significant upgrades to the defense.
Joining the Seminoles next season is safety Karlos Williams. Scouts describe him as "plays like a DB, hits like a linebacker." That hardcore, physical type is just what Florida State needs after losing its top player to the next level.
If Williams and the rest of the defense can click and the offense can do well enough to get by, look for Florida State to equal or exceed its successes of last season in 2011.
No. 2: Les Miles
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As some of you loyal readers know, I have nothing but good things to say about Les Miles and what he has done at LSU. Last season, the team finally showed signs of life again by going 11-2 after going 9-4 and 8-5 the previous two seasons. Some people seem to look at those records first and focus on them, forgetting that Miles led LSU to a national championship in 2007.
This year, Miles will continue to improve the Tigers and show just why he is one of the top coaches in all of college football. He has Anthony Johnson, the No. 1 defensive tackle in the nation, on his squad and this young man will fill the void left by Glenn Dorsey, who was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2008 NFL Draft.
I said it once, and I'll say it again now. Look for LSU to have a great season and win the SEC.
No. 1: Steve Spurrier, South Carolina
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A college coaching legend, Steve Spurrier is best known for his 12 seasons as head coach of the Florida Gators. During that time, he went 122-27-1 and won a national championship in 1996. After the 2001 season, he left Florida for a forgettable two-year tour with the Washington Redskins before leaving that job to become the head coach at South Carolina.
Overall, Spurrier's tenure with the Gamecocks has been disappointing. He has gone just 44-33 (23-25 in conference play) in six seasons. In bowl games, he has gone 1-4.
However, he had his best season in 2010 with a 9-5 record and the team played Florida State in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl for the conference division championship. Florida State won that game, 26-17.
Mark my words. Next season, Spurrier and his squad will be the surprise team of the BCS. Spurrier was able to recruit defensive end Jadeveon Clowney, considered the No. 1 recruit in the entire nation.
With this young man working his magic on the defensive line and an offense that finally seems to be clicking, look for Spurrier and South Carolina to make a statement in the SEC as they try to win the conference.
.jpg?w=480 "Ohio State Team Doctor")
